The Haight is known for colorful characters, funky shops and an ambience straight out of the '60s. But Magnolia Pub and Brewery brings a '90s sensibility to the corner of Haight and Masonic.

Open since November, in the space formerly occupied by Dish, the brewpub is one of many to open in the Bay Area in the last few years. But Magnolia isn't part of a chain like Gordon Biersch; it's the fruition of a dream, run by a guy who graduated from brewing school four years ago.

After leaving the University of California at Davis with a degree in fermentation science, David McLean worked almost exclusively at finding a place to open his own brewpub. He was excited when the space in the Haight opened up. "It's my neighborhood," he says. "I live just five blocks away."

The space itself is a little odd and a bit groovy, like the neighborhood. (The bathroom sinks are located outside the bathroom doors, for example.) A mural near the ceiling depicts girls and kegs and dancing skeletons; it's quintessential Haight Street.

McLean creates a number of beers, from a light and fruity Krolsch to the ever popular Indian Pale Ale, or IPA. They're all full-flavored and smooth, many with a pleasant, bitter edge. McLean also rotates in guest beers on draft from small breweries like Lind Brewing and Speakeasy Brewing.

As for the food, if you stick with the straigtforward options from chef Tim McCutcheon (formerly of Moxie, Square One and One Market), you won't be disappointed. It's when the kitchen becomes too ambitious that dishes run amok.

The hamburger ($7.50) on a toasted roll is juicy and delicious, topped with either Gorgonzola or cheddar. Skin-on french fries (also available separately for $2.50 and $3.25) are crispy and brown, with a creamy interior -- sure winners.

Smoked mozzarella, cheddar and pepper Jack cheese make up the filling for Magnolia's grilled cheese sandwich ($6.25), another excellent combination.

The pub's version of Caesar salad ($6.75) nicely balances the garlic, lemon juice and anchovy against crunchy chopped romaine lettuce.

The soup ($3.25 for a cup, $4.50 for a bowl) one rainy day really showed McCutcheon's potential. Creamy white beans floated in a broth made smoky by chunks of house-cured ham. A swirl of garlicky pesto added another layer of flavor.

And as an appetizer, steamed mussels ($6.95) are a great way to go. In fact, with the addition of andouille sausage in a broth of beer, onions and tomatoes, it's hearty enough to make a main course. The grilled chicken sandwich ($7.95) is good, too, with thick slices of Hobb's bacon and creamy avocado mayonnaise; it would have been even better if the bread had been toasted.

Beyond that, however, many dishes seem to lose luster and focus.

A pile of fried calamari ($6.50) was tender, but the coating was floury and anemic. Too chunky to work as a dipping sauce, the accompanying chipotle-tomato salsa added nothing.

A roasted pasilla pepper appetizer read well ($6.25) -- stuffed with herbed goat cheese and served on a bed of salsa with chipotle cream. The reality was two bitter, blackened stuffed peppers topped with far too much of a far too spicy cream on flavorless chopped tomatoes. The restaurant features a different pizza every day. The afternoon we tried it, the pale, flimsy crust was topped with slices of Yukon Gold potatoes, onions, olives, fontina and Parmesan ($8.50). The flavors were good, but not enough to save the undercooked pizza.

Braised short ribs ($13.50), a special one night, were so fatty that it was hard get to the actual meat, and the square of potato gratin alongside was literally crunchy from being so underdone.

Desserts here are less of a guessing game: They're almost universally good. The exception is the creme brulee ($4.75), which was so runny, we wondered if it had been cooked long enough.

The blood orange upside-down cake ($5) is a better choice. While the flavor of the blood orange slices gets lost in the buttery richness of the cake itself, it's dramatically present in the accompanying ruby-colored sorbet.

Chocolate pudding ($5) is dark and decadent. A wedge of peanut butter pie ($5) tops a chocolate cookie crust with a fluffy peanut butter filling, then a layer of milk chocolate; the result is a combination of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and a mud pie.

Service here is casual and friendly. Don't expect anyone to greet you at the door, and if it's busy, you may have to flag someone down to take an order. But for the most part, the servers are efficient, and they'll happily recommend dishes if you're not sure what to order.

With more attention to some of the food, Magnolia Pub and Brewery can be a welcome addition to Haight Street.